The inaugural iRacing.com Pro Race of Champions (iPRC), featuring top professional race drivers from America and around the world, is set for December 14 with nearly $2,000 going to the winners’ favorite charities. Among the drivers who have already committed to compete in the event are former NASCAR Sprint Cup champion Bobby Labonte, ALMS GT champion Joey Hand, perennial NHRA Funny Car standout Ron Capps, INDYCAR winner and former Formula One driver Justin Wilson, Australia V8 Supercar winner Shane van Gisbergen, and GRAND-AM winner Jordan Taylor.

The online racing event will be broadcast on www.iRacing.com beginning at 8 pm EST and will consist of two segments. The first will see the stars racing their virtual Chevy Silverados for 20 laps under the lights at iRacing’s digital version of Charlotte Motor Speedway. The second will pit the stars against each other in Mazda MX5s at Watkins Glen International on the Cup Course for 10 laps. The overall winner will be determined by the cumulative results from both races, with iRacing donating $1,500 to the favorite charity of the overall winner, $500 to the charity of the runner-up and $250 to the third placed driver’s charity of choice.

Nearly two dozen professional drivers have already confirmed their plans to participate in the iPRC, with additional confirmations expected in the coming weeks.

Qualifying for the iPRC starts at 8 pm eastern time on December 14. Be sure and catch all the action on www.iracing.com.

iRacing.com Professional Race of Champions, December 14, 2012 Provisional Field:

Joey Logano – NASCAR
Colin Braun – NASCAR
Jeff Bucknum – GRAND-AM
Ron Capps – NHRA
Cristiano da Matta – ALMS / INDYCAR
Conor Daly – INDYCAR
Joey Hand – ALMS
Timmy Hill – NASCAR
Trevor Hopwood – GRAND-AM
Frank Kimmel II – ARCA
Bobby Labonte – NASCAR
Martin Plowman – INDYCAR
Matt Plumb – GRAND-AM
Jack Roush Jr – GRAND-AM
Sebastian Saavedra – INDYCAR
Scott Speed – NASCAR
Jordan Taylor – GRAND-AM
Shane van Gisbergen – Aussie V8 Supercars
Barry Waddell – GRAND-AM
Darrel Wallace – NASCAR
Justin Wilson – INDYCAR
Josh Wise – NASCAR

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Sprint Cup teams took to Daytona International Speedway today to test NASCAR’s new electronic fuel injection system but also to tweak some adjustments being considered to break up the controversial tandem drafting phenomenon.

Seven drivers took part in the test including Hendrick Motorsports (two cars with drivers Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Aric Almirola); Roush Fenway Racing (two cars with drivers David Ragan and Marcos Ambrose); Joe Gibbs Racing (one car with driver Joey Logano), Michael Waltrip Racing (one car with driver Martin Truex Jr.) and NEMCO Motorsports (one car with driver Joe Nemechek).

After a brief delay for rain showers, teams hit the track for the test with an initial restrictor plate size of 29/32 inch and a spoiler size of 4 ½ inches tall, 63 inches wide, which was the same spoiler size for last July’s Coke Zero 400.

By day’s end, the size of the rear spoiler had been reduced to 3 inches tall by 62 inches wide. The smaller spoiler results in less down force and drag, but still allows the cars to maintain high speeds yet still under control.

What have you learned so far from today’s test session at Daytona?

“We learned that when you take a spoiler out of a race car at Daytona it makes the car go faster. We were going 206 or 207 or so. We’ve been doing that, taking the rear spring out of the car and just taking downforce away from these things. Trying to get away from that two-car draft. We’re slowly getting away from the two-car draft, making it harder to do it. I guess we’ve made gains today because that’s what NASCAR is looking for.”

Have you noticed a difference with the new electronic fuel injection in the race car?

“No, we can’t really tell much at all, but that’s a good thing.”

Do you like the two-car tandem racing or would you like to see NASCAR go back to pack racing?

“I think either way is about the same. We’re out there racing each other either way just two different ways of doing it. I think the fans liked it more the other way I guess so that’s why we’re here changing it back. It’s going to be hard for us to get away from it now. I think everyone has learned so much and got so good at it and then realized how much faster it is — it’s going to be like this for a while now.”

What do you personally think NASCAR needs to change to get away from the two-car drafting?

“Try some of the things that we’re doing now. Maybe move the grill up a little bit so you’re getting no air when you’re pushing and you could only push for a straightaway or something like that. It would need to be a good combination.”

Joey Logano Daytona Aerodynamic Baseline Package Test Photos

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It was officially announced today in a live press conference that Dollar General will sponsor Joey Logano in 2012. Dollar General will sponsor Joey Logano for 12 NASCAR Sprint Cup races. In addition to the 12 races with Joey Logano, the company will sponsor Brian Scott throughout the full Nationwide series and either the 18 or the 20 for 10 races in the NASCAR Nationwide series.

Joey Logano 2012 Dollar General Car

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The number 20 Home Depot Toyota driven by Joey Logano will be sporting a new look this weekend at Bristol Motor Speedway. Joey Logano will be driving the newly designed 2012 Toyota Camry. Check out some of the photos of the racecar that will debut at Bristol this weekend.

2012 Toyota Camry Left Front Headlight

Front View of 2012 Toyota Camry

Side shot of new 2012 Toyota Camry

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Joey Logano and his crew were at the Milwaukee Mile today participating in a two day test session. The team tested today from 9 in the morning until 5 in the afternoon. Check out some photos and video from the test courtesy of Peter Drozda.

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